This image features the larva of the Damselfly and was collected from a fresh water habitat in Dublin. It was mounted on a slide and a coverslip carefully placed on top to avoid crushing the creature. The image contains 13 focus stacks which have all been seamlessly blended together into a panoramic. The muscle bundles appear to 'glow' in different colours as a result of birefringence exhibited by the tissue. The colours depend on numerous factors including the density or thickness of the muscle present in the optical path of each light ray and the orientation of the fibres with respect to the transmission axis of the polariser/analyser.

PURPOSE
This photomicrograph was created soley as microscopic art.

EQUIPMENT / TECHNIQUE
A darkfield microscope and a polarizing light was used.